Marpesia zerynthia, commonly known as the Waiter Daggerwing, is a striking butterfly species from the Nymphalidae family. It is native to the tropical regions of Central and South America and is found in Mexico and the Amazon Basin. Its wings are a vibrant orange with black stripes, resembling a tiger pattern, and the hindwings have characteristic "tails" or dagger-like extensions. The underside of the wings is brown and cryptic, allowing camouflage when resting.
The name Marpesia refers to a mythical Amazonian warrior queen, while zerynthia might derive from Zerynthos, a mountain associated with nymphs in Greek mythology.
The butterfly's graceful appearance inspired these mythological connections. A curious fact about this species is its tendency to rest with wings closed, displaying its less conspicuous underwing to avoid predators. Additionally, it’s known for its rapid and erratic flight, making it hard to catch, even by experienced butterfly enthusiasts.
We firmly support the sustainable tropical butterfly collections as long as they take care of conserving the rainforest where they fly and developing responsible conscious trading.
This allows us to support local ranching farms with ethically sourced material and help at the same time collectors and enthusiasts contribute to understanding and treasuring those species.
Please consider that the specimen you will receive may slightly differ in size, shape or colour from the picture shown as you are purchasing a natural product.
All our items are carefully delivered to prevent damages on transport, papered items are packaged in glassine envelopes specifying capture/breeding data and location available. CITES certificate will be provided in the specimens required.
HOW WE GRADE OUR LISTINGS (SPECIMENS)
As Insect specimens are natural products, some are bred and some others caught in wild, the quality can vary greatly.
The guide below explains the grading used for specimens in our listings.
A1 No visible imperfections, both antennas, no tearing, scratches or missing part of the wings (or as perfect as you could expect from wild caught specimens), with exception of some leg damage.
A1- Very minor damage, normally restricted to antenna damage or antennae attached separately in the envelope.
A- These specimens have minor damage, such as antenna damage, or minor flight wear such as small scratches, minor sale damage, some minor fraying/chipping around the edges of the wings.
A2 More significant damage, such as major flight wear, small rips, small pieces missing from the wings, damage to the thorax or abdomen.
B or Second Grade These specimens have similar damage to A2 specimens, but to a more significant degree. Usually used as parts replacement or art work material
| SPECIMEN | |
|---|---|
| Country | Mexico |
| Locality | Los Tuxtlas Veracruz |
| Collection type | Wild collected |
| Bio-zone | Neotropical |
We supply both rare and common species from all parts of the world.
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United States, United Kingdom and Mexico
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